The Factory Kitchen: A Strong Italian Contender in Downtown LA

I've had many good meals, but every once in a while, one stands out above the rest. This was my experience at The Factory Kitchen, which opened up in downtown LA recently. I didn't know much about it before, so I was quite surprised, but I really should've heard more. The chef, Angelo Auriana, was the executive chef at Valentino for 18 years before moving to Farina in San Francisco. The manager, Matteo Ferdinandi, was a business partner of Celestino Drago. Both of them are the epitome of Italian hospitality.

Because of the name, I was expecting a small restaurant, but the large dining room is simple but elegant.

 The bar is headed by Karl Steuck, who was previously at Writer's Room and Hatfield's.

I tasted another writer's Urban Cowboy (bacanora, cochhi americano, grapefruit, lime, sage honey - $10)

Bacanora is a rare find in the US, and I love how he used it in this cocktail.

I ordered the Soon To Be Divorced (tequila, campari, lime, agave, thyme - $10). I've never had tequila and campari together, but this was very drinkable with the lovely thyme aroma. Other than these seasonal drinks, Karl has a short list of classics as well.

For the wines, Francine Diamond Ferdinandi, who's worked at Gramercy Tavern and Spago, has created a small but impressive wine list. We left it to her to choose our wines and so should you.

Be sure to get the Prosciutto, which came in an unexpected form. 24 months Parma prosciutto is served atop a lightly fried sage dough, with some stracciatella in the middle ($18)

Barberosse Gratinate: oven baked sliced beet casserole with melted Asiago ($10)

It may sound strange at first, but the beet slices actually make a great vehicle for the melted cheese.

Pancotto (farmer's duck egg, red potato vellutata, sauteed greens, semolina bread crostone - $9)

Rather than pizza, The Factory Kitchen serves Focaccina calda di recco al formaggio, a thin focaccio crust. We liked both the traditional (with Ligurian olive oil) and Cotto (crescenza, cotto ham, rosemary - $17)

The focaccina is stuffed with crescenza cheese which was creamy but light. 

Now, the pasta. Handmade pasta is one of my favorite things in the world and there's one pasta dish here that blows the rest away. It is the Mandilli de Seta (handkerchief pasta, Ligurian almond basil pesto, fiore sardo - $19)

This... This was outstanding. It's the dish that makes the entire table fall silent. So simple yet from the silky handmade pasta to the beautifully subdued pesto that covers it. This is a dish that you dream about days after eating it. It was heavenly paired with the white wine that Francine had chosen.

Pappardelle (taggia olives speckled pasta, duckling ragu, Italian parsley - $19)

This is also a wonderful pappardelle, although it was difficult for me to go to other pasta after the previous one. I usually like pappardelle with meat ragu so I'm going to have to eat this again another time before the mandilli di seta.

Porchetta (rolled pork belly, red onion, carrots, fennel celery - $24)

This porchetta is one of the best I've tried in recent memory. The richness and fattiness doesn't overwhelm, it's tender and flavorful.

Anatra (duck breast, huckleberry, romanesco, broccoli di cicco - $26)

The duck breast was excellent, but it's the leg confit that everyone fights over!

If you want something lighter, the dentice (pan seared tai snapper) is perfectly prepared.

I had to try one more drink. The Backyard Boogie (Templeton rye, root, fennel, absinthe mist, orange oil - $10) is perfect for those who prefer stronger, more aromatic cocktails.

For dessert, you can't miss the cannoli. We saw them make the cannoli shells earlier that night.

Perhaps it was the orange marmalade on one end, or the pistachio on the other, but this ricotta-filled cannoli was simply the best I've had.

Chef Angelo Auriana

I hadn't heard much about The Factory Kitchen prior to coming in, so I came in with no expectation and was wowed. I wasn't eating out when Chef Auriana was helming Valentino, so I never knew what it was like, but I'm glad he decided to return to Los Angeles with The Factory Kitchen.

The Factory Kitchen
1300 Factory Place #101
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 996-6000
http://thefactorykitchen.com/

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Handmade Pastas and Charcuterie at Desco (Oakland, CA)

Desco is a gorgeous new restaurant in Oakland from Donato Scotti who owns Donato Enoteco in Redwood City, serving house made charcuterie and pastas.

Desco's bright and spacious dining room

I had dinner there with a couple of vegetarian friends, but I indulged in plenty of meat on my own. I started with a platter of three house-made charcuterie that seemed to be much more reasonable than the ones I find in LA. The Piatto della casa (smoked duck, lamb prosciutto, rabbit terrine ) is only $10

It's quite the charcuterie plate for $10! The lamb prosciutto was aged for 3 months and the rabbit terrine was drizzled with extra vecchio (extra old) balsamico.

There's a small list of classic cocktails ($10 each), but they're made well and included drinks like Pegu Club. The Old Fashioned was quite nice and they have a good selection of gin and whisky.


The thing you must get here is the handmade Casonsei ($12). Casonsei is a type of filled pasta from Bergamo in Lombardi region, where the chef is from. It is filled with pork and amaretto cookie crumbs, then topped with brown butter and guanciale.

I absolutely loved it. The pasta had very nice thickness and texture. The pork inside is very tender, perfect with the crispy guanciale. This pasta was so delicious, I couldn't stop eating despite having another entree coming ..

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Lidia's Commonsense Italian Cooking

Lidia's Commonsense Italian Cooking
150 Delicious and Simple Recipes 
Anyone Can Master

by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich 

with Tanya Bastianich Manuali
Hardcover, 304 pages

What's your favourite kind of food? Italian is always at the top of the list, no matter who you talk to. It's comforting food. It's seriously delicious. And it doesn't have to be complicated.

Lidia offers up the teachings of the family table. Basic lessons and recipes that, had you a nonna or two, you would have learned in  the kitchen.

I don't know about you, but I have always wanted a nonna of my own. Now at least I have the helpful hints in this book such as How to choose an eggplant, and Polenta wisdom. I can forgive my parents for not being Italian. I have this book. 

It has 150 delicious and simple recipes and 63 full colour photographs. Plus all sorts of tips and tricks to make your time in the kitchen fun and relaxed.

So come on, let's get cooking Italian!

From Lidia's Blog: You all know I’m a teacher at heart, and my new book lays out a comprehensive curriculum of cooking tips–from the cutting board to the kitchen table.  These are lessons I learned from my mother, Erminia (above), and her mother, Nonna Rosa, and now I’m passing them on to you in the form of 150 simple, seasonal recipes.

Chapters Include:

The Wisdom of the Table

Appetizers

Salads

Soups

Sauces

Vegetables and Sides

Pastas, Polenta, and Risottos

Fish

Meat

Desserts

 Tutti a tavola a mangiare!

Photo credit: Marcus Nilsson

Authors

LIDIA MATTICCHIO BASTIANICH is the author of eight previous cookbooks, five of which have been accompanied by nationally syndicated public television series. She is the owner of the New York City restaurant Felidia, among others, and she gives lectures on Italian cuisine throughout the country. She lives on Long Island, New York.

TANYA BASTIANICH MANUALI received her PhD in Renaissance art history from Oxford University. In 1996 she started Esperienze Italiane, a travel company that arranges food, wine, and art tours to Italy. She also coauthors cookbooks with her mother, Lidia; manages Lidia's product line; and serves as the cultural and art consultant for the art series. She lives on Long Island, New York.

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September 28: Trattoria Neapolis One Year Anniversary Celebration (Pasadena, CA)

Trattoria Neapolis is one of my favorite places in Pasadena, both for food and drinks, and they're celebrating their one year anniversary next week! On Saturday September 28, starting at 7pm, the different rooms and balcony will turn into different tasting areas with food from Chef Bryant Wigger, wine, beers, distilleries, and Stumptown coffee. Since the menu is not posted on their website, I wanted to share it with you here!

Tickets are only $60 (advance purchase) and looks like it will be a great value! Plus $10 of each ticket purchase will be donated to Foothill Family Service. You can purchase the tickets in advance by calling (626) 792-3000.

Here's the menu and the list of wineries/breweries/distilleries!

TASTING MENU:

A few bite-sized versions of dishes will include:

Vitello Tonnato

Veal Tenderloin, Frisee, Caperberries, Grana Padano

& Ahi Tuna-Caper Aioli

Wood Grilled Baby Octopus

Crispy Potato Torta, Cerignola Olives & Lemon

Arancini

Crispy Lobster Arancini, Sweet Basil, Mozzarella

& Lemon Aioli

Barolo Risotto

Braised Oxtail, Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

& Castelrosso Cheese

Rabbit

Rosemary, Roasted Garlic, Chestnut Farrotto

& Crostini Toscano

Tiramisu

Roasted Bartlett Pears, House Made Ladyfingers, Mascarpone,

Buttered Pecans, Pear Moscato Sorbetto

& Salted Caramel

Bombolini

Pumpkin Spiced Mini Italian Donuts, Limoncello & Pumpkin Crema,

& Candied Pecans

PARTICIPATING

VENDORS:                               

U.S. West Coast Wineries

Duckhorn Vineyards

Stags Leap Wine Cellars

Northstar Winery

Erath Winery

Antica Napa Valley

Rutherford Ranch

Stolpman Vineyards

Frog’s Leap Winery

Italian Wineries

Antinori

Tormaresca

Castello della Sala

Col de’ Salici

Donnafugata

Maculan

Villa Sandi

Cantele

Tenuta

Luisa

Suavia

Moretti Omero

Riseccoli

Tenuta Monteti

Tenuta Argentiera

Distillers & Spirits

Bourbon

Buffalo Trace

Maker’s Mark

Maker’s Mark 46

Rye Whiskey

Templeton Old

Overholt

Knob Creek

Vodka

Tito’s

Scotch

Famous Grouse

Black Grouse

Single Malt Scotch

Auchentoshan Three Wood

Bowmore Islay

Limoncello

Limoncello Originale

Orangecello Blood Orange

Beer

Eagle Rock Brewery

Bootleggers Brewery

Telegraph Brewery

The Bruery

Coffee

Stumptown Coffee Roasters

WHEN:                  Saturday, September 28^th

                             7:00 p.m.

WHERE:                336 South Lake Avenue

Pasadena, California 91101

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$45 4-Course Menu at Scarpetta, Every Day

Were you excited about Scarpetta's $45 DineLA menu? Are you bummed you missed it? If you answer yes to either of those, you might want to know that Scarpetta's had a $45 4-course prix fixe menu for a while now and is continuing it after DineLA.

I'll say it again: you can get a 4 course meal at Scarpetta for $45 any day.

All meals start with a bread basket that many consider to be the best in LA. Do try the Stromboli (they have a vegetarian version with broccolini which is equally delicious).

Now, on to the prix fixe menu. There are two options for each course, which will change seasonally. When I went last month the first course option included:

Tuscan Kale, red quinoa, medjool dates, and pecorino romano

It's hard to beat a well done kale salad, and this is definitely one of them.

The other options is a Braised Short Rib of Beef, vegetable, and farro risotto

It's certainly a heavier appetizer, but they were both good and will satisfy whichever mood you're in.

The second course is the pasta, or "Paste":
Spinach Pappardelle, housemade duck sausage ragu, morel mushrooms, and ramps

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Nuovo Mondo: New Italian Food

Nuovo Mondo
New Italian Food
by Stefano Di Pieri and James McDougall

Hardcover, 200 pages

I think we all have a special place in our hearts for Italian food. But this book takes you past your cottagey comfort foods and into the realm of food as art. In Nuovo Mondo you will learn restaurant riffs on Italian flavours to wow your friends and that special someone in your life. Yeah, I think this is food to seduce.

Nuovo Mondo is the marriage between the simplicity of traditional Italian cookery, and a modern approach to food that focuses on freedom and creativity in the kitchen.

We have more than enough books telling us how to slap food on the table in 15 minutes - and that does come in handy - but when you have the time and the inclination it's great to put together something really special.

More than a collection of recipes, Nuovo Mondo is also a practical guide for developing foundation kitchen skills and techniques, such as deboning, curing and smoking. Join Stefano and Jim on this culinary journey. 

Contents include:

introduction

antipasto & first course

salads

soups & broths

pasta

fish & seafood

the whole beast, offal & game

smoking, curing & cooking without heat

desserts

basics

Which is not to say that each recipe is complicated - there are both simple and cheffy recipes to delight and inspire.

Salad of Tomato, White Anchovy, Basil, Olive & Onion

book excerpt originally published on psnews

Serves 4 to 6 as a shared plate

   5 large pitted kalamata olives or other good black olives
   100ml white vinegar
   1 tablespoon caster sugar
   1 red onion, cut into 5mm thick rings
   1 tablespoon salt flakes
   4 large round tomatoes, cut into 1cm thick slices
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
   100ml extra virgin olive oil
   6 white anchovy fillets, halved crosswise
   1 small handful fresh basil leaves

Place the olives in the freezer.
   Combine the vinegar and sugar in a saucepan, place over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
   Remove the small inner and large outer onion rings for another use. For this recipe, we’ll use only the even, medium-sized onion rings. Place them in a bowl with the salt. Leave for a few minutes to soften a little. Pour over the vinegar mixture and set aside.
   Arrange the tomatoes on a large serving plate. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with the olive oil. Arrange the anchovy fillets over the top, spacing them evenly to ensure that each diner gets at least one.
   Remove the olives from the freezer and grate them over the tomato and anchovy. Use as much or as little as you like.
   Scatter the onion rings over the top. The salad should be gaining some height and interest by now. Garnish with the basil leaves

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Doma (Beverly Hills)

The owner of Dan Tana has branched out of the old school Italian with Doma, a modern Mediterranean Italian restaurant in Beverly Hills. It's a casual but elegant space with a focus on seafood. The chef, Dustin Trani, grew up working in his family seafood restaurant, J. Trani's in San Pedro. He has also trained in Europe and worked in Thailand, and he brings these influences into his menu.

I got to the restaurant too early for my media dinner, so I sat at the bar and chatted with the bartender. The cocktail menu during the opening was simple, but he said that they will soon be expanding the menu to include more complex drinks including a barrel aged Negroski (Cynar, Campari, basil infused vodka).

.

He let me take a peek at the upcoming menu, which was definitely a lot more interesting than the opening menu. I ordered the Mexican Grill which was mezcal, Chartreuse, and peppers. Spicy and smoky!

After everyone else arrived, we sat down for an extensive tasting that started with some fresh Japanese hamachi sashimi, ginger soy, ponzu caviar, carrot, cucumber, scallion, sesame tuile ($18, the portion shown is for a tasting, probably not the full portion)

The ponzu "caviar" is a fun touch here

I won't show you everything I ate that night, but here are some of the many many highlights:

Local crispy calamari and rock shrimp, sweet and spicy Thai aioli, balsamic reduction, micro herb, $16)

This is an example of how Dustin's training in Thailand his dishes. The spicy aioli is a nice and unique departure from the usual tomato based sauce.

Baked eggplant and ricotta involtini (grilled eggplant, filled with ricotta and basil, baked over tomato sauce, $12)

A lighter counterpart of the eggplant parmigiana, this is a simple and comforting dish.

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The Completely Revamped Vitello's (Studio City)

Vitello's in Studio City was an old school Italian restaurant in Studio City famous for being a mafia hangout in the 50's and the site of the Robert Blake shooting incident. If you were to ask the current staff, even they will admit that the food back then was no bueno. All that changed recently. Major renovation of the interior, an entirely new menu under a new chef (who for once is actually Italian), and a wine and cocktail program.

The cocktail menu was pretty interesting. I ordered the Bad Lil' Wabbit made with whiskey, carrot juice, agave, lemon, mint, and ginger beer ($11). I was wary at first. Carrot juice? But this drink was good! The ginger beer complements it nicely.

The chef likes to put out special items and customers can pretty much request whatever they wanted, as long as they have the ingredients. My dinner ended consisting of dishes not on the regular menu (except for the dessert). Fresh salmon tartar was served with diced apples and cucumbers.

A big mound of smooth, creamy burrata is served with sweet and crisp heirloom tomatoes. I welcomed every chance I got to eat heirloom tomatoes before the season ended.

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Soleto: Solid Italian and Housemade Limoncello in Downtown LA

The South Park district in downtown Los Angeles is getting more and more exciting with two new restaurant openings. One of them is Soleto, an upscale Italian restaurant from the IDG Restaurant Group which took over the old Zucca space. Soleto is run by Executive Chef Sascha Lyon who is also in charge of the kitchen at Delphine.

I say it's upscale, but Soleto has a pretty great happy hour (M-F, 3-7pm), especially where the food is concerned. There were quite a few items that were all really cheap and good! The portion sizes are quite good as well. Here are some of the happy hour items we tried:

Shrimp Oreganato ($5)

This whole pot of shrimp for $5? You can come here for an early dinner during happy hour and have a feast!

This Sauteed Calamari with Anaheim chili and tomatoes is also only $5!

Much more interesting and better than the typical fried calamari.

I also recommend the Charred Cauliflower, Grana Padano, parsley ($3)

Grana Padano is a hard Italian cheese, similar in texture to parmesan cheese but milder. You'll see this cheese in many of Soleto's dishes.

For drinks, there are sangria and "cello spritzer" (one of their housemade limoncellos/orange-cellos with soda) for $3.

OK, so that's happy hour. Now, on to dinner.

You won't really find duplicates from the happy hour menu here. The popular appetizers include Grilled Oyster Mushrooms, grana padano, white truffle lemon vinaigrette ($12)

These earthy mushrooms were made even better with the sprinkling of grana padano cheese. I can definitely eat these all day.

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A Preview of Trattoria Neapolis, Opening July 10 in Pasadena

There has certainly been quite a few new openings in Pasadena in the past couple of years, and there's one more to be excited about: Trattoria Neapolis on Lake Ave.

Having lived literally across the street for about 3 years, I now cannot even recall what was previously in this space next to Anthropologie. They have now renovated it into a spacious and elegant dining space, complete with a beautiful enclosed patio space by the entrance.

A view of the bar from upstairs:

Other than the food, you should also be really excited about the drink program. The owner Perry Vidalakis has really searched out some of the best in the business in every aspect.


Before the dinner started, we were all treated to a glass of Deus Brut des Flandres (Brouwerij Bosteels, Buggenhout, Belgium)
This biere de champagne has been one of my favorites, sometimes I crave it more than champagne.
Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune, a.k.a. The Beer Chicks, are in charge of the beer. Christina is responsible for the beer list while Hallie is acting as the in-house cicerone.
The main beer and wine list consist only of either local or Italian (with all beers on tap coming from the LA area), but there is an extensive reserve list with what they deem the best beers and wines from all over the world (the Deus obviously is on this list).
Christina had recently spent some time in Italy so this project came at the perfect time for her. She says there is a huge beer revolution there and there are over 300 breweries now in Italy, twice as many as in Belgium.


While waiting for dinner: Arancini - mini crispy lobster arancini, pickled fennel, Eureka lemon aioli

The first two courses were paired with cocktails (that are actually created especially for this dinner. It's not on the menu but the bartenders can create "bespoke" cocktails for you).

For the cocktails, the owner has enlisted Vincenzo Marianella of Copa d'Oro, the Godfather of LA cocktail scene, to create the cocktail menu. His Italian background probably helps him pair the cocktails with the food here as well.
The first is Vincenzo's twist on a French75: Pasadena 75 with Plymouth gin, Cynar, lemon, cucumber and celery juices, prosecco

The cocktail was bitter and aromatic, but it balances out perfectly with the beet salad:
Barbabietole - roasted baby beets, saba, grilled treviso, house made goat milk ricotta

The salad had so many components to it, at the same time sweet, smoky, and bitter. The ricotta rounds it out with its creaminess. Great pairing with the cocktail, nothing overwhelms the other.

Polipo - wood grilled baby octopus with crispy "potato torta", cerignola olives, sweet tomato oil

Think hashbrowns! That's what the crispy potato torta was like, the texture contrasting nicely with the tender baby octopus. The potato seemed to have been the star of the dish, though.


This was paired with Ostuni, made with Partida Reposado tequila, Aperol, fresh ruby grapefruit juice, prosecco. 
(Ostuni is an area in Puglia famous for octopus.)


Vincenzo wanted to try something difficult to pair (tequila) and it worked quite nicely.


Our first pasta course was the Gnocchi - roast garlic gnocchi, smoked pork shoulder, artichoke, asparagus

The chef, Bryant Wigger, is apparently famous for his gnocchi and I can definitely see why. These were so light and pillowy. I typically see gnocchi served with a sort of creamy sauce, and the smoked pork was a very nice departure from that. This may very well be my favorite gnocchi dish in town currently.

According to Christia Perozzi, artichoke is difficult for wine pairing but good with light, effervescent beer (which is also good with smoky flavors). She paired this with the Blond 5 from Brouwerij West, a local Los Angeles brewery. This 5% ABV Belgian style blond is fruity, citrusy, and effervescent.

Next is the Lasagna - wood grilled summer vegetables, ricotta, mascarpone

This vegetable lasagna is a much lighter, healthier version of the standard dish - just right for the summer.

Paired with Nora, Birreria Le Baladin, Torino, Italy

I have never had this before and this is now my new favorite beer! This beer from Piemonte is made from an ancient Egyptian recipe, using Kamut (a large Egyptian grain) and myrrh. It's fruity (notes of apricot and honey), with the malty sweetness, and just all in all amazing. If you see this beer retailing somewhere, please message me, seriously.

The entrees are paired with wine, which had been chosen by Diego Meraviglia. He wanted a list for everyone with all kinds of palates and budgets. There is a list of 50 wines under $50, and 120 wines in total (including the reserve list).

Our entrees:
Merluzzo - pan roast black cod, charred sweet corn, Manila clam broth, salsa maro (fava beans)
paired with Chardonnay, Copain, Anderson Valley 2010

The black cod was so soft and delicate, yet the dish packed some bold flavors, especially with the corn.
The wine is a biodynamic, unoaked Chardonnay. According to Diego, it's balance between European and American style. Since black cod is a fatty fish, it needs something crisp with higher acid to cut it. 


Bistecca - wood grilled Wagyu flat iron steak, crispy Temecula honey onions, salsa verde, porcini BBQ sauce
Paired with Valpolicella "Ripasso" doc, "Il Bugiardo", Buglioni, Veneto 2008

The flatiron cut of wagyu gives it that meaty flavor some people look for in a steak, but it's still very tender. The BBQ Sauce is made with oven dried porcini, mustard, and balsamic vinegar. Since it's sour, Diego paired it with a jammy wine to cut it. 

The Ripasso is Valpolicella which was remacerated in the pomace used to make Amarone. It's big and bold, but a middleground between the dry Valpolicella and sweet Amarone. (I'm seeing this middleground between two different styles to be a running theme here. The Chardonnay, the flatiron wagyu).

All the entrees come with a choice of a side dish, though in our tasting we more than one:
Finocchio - roasted fennel, tangerine, toasted pistachios, white balsamic

The dish is quite sweet from the tangerine. The fennel was unusually creamy and soft.

Carciofi  - crispy artichokes, caper berries, ricotta salata, mint

For the dessert course, we moved to the semi-private dining room upstairs:

Panna Cotta - Greek yoghurt honey panna cotta with apricot granita, hazelnuts, and basil gelatini
Marsala Superiore, 10 years, De Bartoli, Sicilia

Yoghurt panna cotta? Yep!
Marsala is historically a very important dessert wine but thanks to marketing and commercialization it has been relegated to cooking wine. Diego wants to show what a great dessert wine it is.

The dessert was also served with a cup of Guatemala Finca El Injerto - Bourbon varietal, single origin direct trade, French press. The restaurant uses Stumptown Coffee, who will soon be opening a roaster in Los Angeles (in early 2013), but the Trattoria's decision to exclusively use their coffee came way before that.


The panna cotta was actually great with the coffee. The Marsala was great but pairing-wise, I thought the coffee was better. 

We didn't try any of their pizza tonight, but their oven sure seemed impressive. The back part of the restaurant will be a sort of market / food-to-go section and they have tapped the former manager to Mozza 2 Go to run it.

Trattoria Neapolis will soft open with dinner service on July 10.

Trattoria Neapolis
336 S Lake Ave
Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 792-3000
trattorianeapolis.com

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